Sun and Ski in Zell am See
Ski Safari Weeks - Explore 6 different resorts in just one week!
Ski safaris will run from 20th February 2010 and throughtout March until Easter week subject to sufficient demand. Additional weeks will be added subject to demand so please ask when booking your accommodation.
What’s it all about?
As many of you already know, Zell am See has its own excellent ski area but it is surrounded by a host of other exciting and varied ski areas which are now all available on one lift pass. For only 18 euros more than the local pass you can now buy a lift pass that gives you access to over 3000 km of runs in over 40 resorts. Many of these resorts are less than half an hour by road from Zell, some just 10 minutes! Well known resorts such as Kitzbuhel, Saalbach and Hinterglemm are literally just around the corner!
Stewart and I have spent the last couple of seasons enjoying this amazing variety of ski terrain and we are now ready to run our first safari weeks, acting as your ski guides and taking you from our base in Zell am See to a different area each day in our specially arranged personal transport.
Skiing Ability:
You don’t have to be an expert skier to make the most of this opportunity as we will be splitting up into at least 2 groups based on ability and of course attitude……. Stewart will probably take the ‘fast and the furious’ whilst I will take a group who prefer a more leisurely pace, meeting up with the other groups for lunch and refreshments etc!
So, here is a summary of what you will get, what you will need to purchase and an example itinerary.
- Collection and return - Salzburg airport (cost according to numbers and flights but approx 15 euros each way)
- 6 day ski pass to cover whole Salzburgerland region (approx adult cost 211 euros) Under 16s half price.
- Personal minibus transport to and from the different ski areas. (approx cost 55 – 60 euros per person for the week ( 5/6 return journeys)
- Ski guiding in all resorts visited. FREE
- Organised evening entertainment/aprs ski.
- Discounted ski and equipment hire.
- Choice of apartment accommodation in centre of Zell am See.
Accommodation:
We have 11 apartments available for any combination of groups, families or friends. We will also set aside at least one apartment (probably Bergstrasse 24 as it has 5 single beds) for singles who are willing to share with other like minded skiers and of course it keeps the costs down. Also if you are a couple and are willing to share an apartment for 4 with another couple, then this may also be possible.
Example Itinerary:
Here is an example of a 6 day ski safari itinerary. The idea is to give you a taster of other resorts and to make the most of the snow conditions at the time. The itinerary may therefore vary according to local conditions and of course the weather.
Saturday: Arrive in Zell am See via Salzburg/Innsbruck/Munich.
(your flight choice) Evening, meet at local bar to get week’s itinerary and meet the ski safari group members, arrange ski hire etc.
Sunday: Meet at local lift office to get ski passes, get hire equipment etc. 9.30am Mini busses collect us and take us to Schattenburg which gives us access to the large Saalbach ski system (15 minutes) Ski guiding over to Leogang and back to Saalbach. Aprs ski in bar at foot of main slope. Minibusses collect at approx 5pm. (according to time of year). Saalbach and Leogang are part of the fabulous ‘ski circus’ with over 300km of linked runs. All runs blue with black or red options for the better skiers.
Monday: Maria Alm. Meet at car park, 9.00am, take mini busses to Maria Alm. (Transfer time 20 minutes) Days guided skiing in the Maria Alm area, apres ski in bar at foot of main slope, mini busses collect at approx 5pm.
Maria Alm is part of the huge Hoch Konig/Ski Amade area. (25 villages and 860km of slopes!) Maria Alm is a picturesque little village with lovely pine clad slopes and normally very good snow conditions due to its northerly aspect. Plenty of choice of run for all abilities and we will see how far we can get across the system!
Tuesday: (Weather permitting Zell am See if not) Kitzsteinhorne Glacier. We need to pick a sunny day with not much wind to really appreciate the glacier. Not only would you miss the fantastic views, but in bad weather it can be a very unpleasant experience at that altitude! So weather permitting, leave Zell am See at 9am, arrive at the lift approx 9.20am. Ski guiding available all day, Kitzsteinhorne provides some great opportunities for off-piste but it also has some of the easiest and widest open blue runs in the area, so a great day for all abilities. Aprs ski from 4 in the bar at the top of the first station. Return for collection at base 5pm. Possible evening activity of ice karting or floodlit toboggan run.
Wednesday: Saalbach and Hinterglemm. This time we will start at the far end of the ‘ski circus’ (Hinterglemm) and work our way back to Viehofen (the last run to the bottom is 14km!) so completely different runs than on the Sunday safari. Collection will again be at 9am and return at 5pm. Aprs ski in a nice little bar just up the slope……. followed by a gentle ski down to the car park to meet the mini busses!
Thursday: Kitzbuhel or Wagrain/Alpendorf.
The Kitzbuhel ski area can be accessed via Hollersbach which is approximately 35 minutes from Zell am See. It’s a very large area and to get right across to Kitzbuhel will take around 2 hours but it’s all accessible on blues so can still be achieved by all levels. The route involves going over the Pass Thurn and riding on one of the longest open span (no pilons) cable cars in Europe, quite spectacular but not open in high winds so getting right across to Kitzbuhel may depend on the weather! Much of the route is also above the tree line so good weather is a must for this trip.
Alpendorf is also part of the enormous Ski Amade area and is in the linked lift system which includes the resorts of Wagrain and Flachau. How far we get depends on you…….. it’s a beautiful area with lots of tree lined slopes and some spectacular scenery. A better bet than Kitzbuhel in snowy conditions.
Both trips will require an early start (around 8.45) and collection again will be around 5pm.
Friday : Zell am See or Kitzsteinhorne. As for Tuesday, for a day at glacier altitude we need to pick the right weather conditions and of course you may wish to stay closer to home to give you a bit of time to get ready for a Saturday departure. We will probably get together for a final meal or drink in the evening and review the week!
Other activities:
Swimming/Sauna/Spa etc.
With your lift pass you can also buy a 6 day pass to use the indoor swimming pool complex for just 15 euros. This is really good value for money and a great way of soothing those aching muscles in the hydrotherapy area!
We will meet up in the pool most nights around 6pm and on certain nights you can also go in the sauna. This is a serious ‘get naked’ type with ice cold pools and an outdoor area and is definitely not for the shy or wimps!) Otherwise there is access every night from the pool to the steam room and the hydrotherapy area.
Ice Hockey/Ice skating.
Most of the season there is a weekly ice hockey match which is very exciting, of a high level and well worth attending as Zell has one of the best teams in Austria. 2 nights per week it is also open for public skating so we may organise this for those who have enough energy!
How can I book?
1. Choose the most suitable week.
2. Decide on your group make up.
3. Look at the apartments on this website and see which would suit you best.
4. Contact us for availability
5. Check out flights
6. Book an apartment or request an ‘apartment share’ (Booking deposit is £100 per apartment. Nothing more to pay until 6 weeks before departure) ‘Singles share’ pay approx £100 per head for the week, depending on numbers.
Places are limited according to the availability of the apartments. Skiers will be split into smaller groups for guiding as appropriate and desired.
Opt in - Opt out?
You can of course opt in or out of certain days as you wish but our very reasonable transport costs are based on more of less full occupancy of our mini bus taxis so the full weeks transport fees may still be payable!
Tel 01579 384714 or email us
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